View of Garden The garden awakens in early April here in Pembroke, Massachusetts, after a mild winter. Rhododendron - Mehlquist's first double lepidote The one that started it all. Mehlquist number 70023-1. Rhododendron keiskei I have several of these dwarf beauties. Great color spots as spring unfolds. Rhododendron wadanum One of those beautiful, delicate-flowered Japanese azalea species that is easily grown from seed. The name honors the late Japanese plantsman Koichiro Wada. Rhododendron 'Lavender Frost' (Mezitt) As with many double-flowered lepidotes, the floral display in mid-April is welcome and long lasting. Rhododendron 'April Love' (Mezitt) Another super hardy lepidote from the late Ed Mezitt's breeding program. Rhododendron 'April Song' (Mezitt) This is a sibling of 'April Love'. Rhododendron 'Red Quest' (Mezitt) One step toward Weston Nurseries goal of a true red lepidote. Rhododendron 'Autumn Violet' (Mehlquist) Another spectacular dwarf blue, this from Dr. Gustav Mehlquist's breeding program. Rock hardy, bushy, and it does bloom in the autumn! Rhododendron 'Hudson Bay' (Leach) While a poor specimen, it takes full sun and exposure in stride. Rhododendron 'Pioneer Silvery Pink' (Hoogendorn) Great display. Excellent for mass plantings. Rhododendron 'Babylon' (Reuthe) Super foliage and early flowering in a hardy elepidote. Vigorous grower, so give it room! Rhododendron aureum X 'Apricot Glow' (Brooks) Poor selection from the seed lot for my climate. True color is typical R. aureum yellow with the inherited tendency for floral buds to swell at the first winter warm spell. Buds are then frozen when cold returns. Rhododendron X'Golden Star' Rhododendron 'April Gem' x keiskei (Donovan) From an interesting cross of 'April Gem' x R. keiskei, dwarf form (D90-32). Rhododendron - unnamed double (Donovan) Rhododendron 'April Gem' x mucronulatum (Donovan) R. 'April Gem' x R. mucronulatum, dwarf form, plant D89-2G. Full exposure, dry environment. Rhododendron 'April Rose' (Mehlquist) Rhododendron 'April Joy' (Mezitt) Rhododendron 'Christmas Candy' Rhododendron 'White Surprise' (Mehlquist) Rhododendron mucronulatum and Rhododendron dauricum Rhododendron dauricum var. compactum Rhododendron dauricum var. compactum habit Rhododendron dauricum Rhododendron mucronulatum var. album x mucronulatum Rhododendron mucronulatum dwarf x mucronulatum 'Mahogany Red' Rhododendron mucronulatum 'Hikaru Genji' Rhododendron mucronulatum 'Mahogany Red' Rhododendron mucronulatum 'Waka Mirasaki' Rhododendron mucronulatum 'Waka Mirasaki' Rhododendron 'Blue Baron' (Mezitt) Lovely. Gene pool for the hardy blue lepidote program. Rhododendron 'Mother Greer' (Greer) Another plant for breeding a hardy blue lepidote. View of Garden Edged with compact growing, double-flowered selections from two 1989 crosses of R. mucronulatum and R. dauricum, dwarf forms, with R. 'April Gem' (Mehlquist). Intermediates toward my breeding goal of dwarf, double-flowered, hardy lepidotes.